52 Eighty Distilling goes bust
Colorado-based spirits producer 52 Eighty Distilling has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy as the state loses nearly a third of its craft distilleries.
The company made the insolvency claim on 14 October in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado. Chapter 7 is the bankruptcy code that governs the process of liquidation.
According to the filing, the company had assets between US$100,001 and US$1 million and liabilities in the range of US$1m and US$10m.
Based in Littleton, Colorado, 52 Eighty Distilling was established in 2017. The company produced vodka, gin and whiskey, and operated a tasting room.
The company’s website and social media pages have since been taken down.
According to the American Craft Spirits Association, the number of US craft distilleries plunged by a quarter in the 12 months to August 2025.
Colorado is the seventh-biggest state for craft producers with 82 distilleries as of August 2025. However, this figure was down by 31% to 119 distilleries in the same month last year.
Fellow Colorado-based distillery Golden Moon closed down last year after it failed to find a buyer.
Earlier this month, New York-based Alton Distillery filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and temporarily shut its tasting room.
On a more positive note, American single malt whiskey brand Westward was recently saved from bankruptcy by a group of private investors, enabling the business to restructure.
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